The Vampire's little Mate (Sequel)

CHAPTER: 11

Alex remained downstairs in the living room while Tanya took a quick shower before her visitors arrived. She changed out of her blue jeans and yellow tank top into a flowing dark-blue skirt and a white frilly sleeveless shirt. She felt herself to be a bit over-dressed, but then it was her birthday party after all, so why not. Time passed slowly as she waited for her friends to arrive, and Alex was sitting silently on the sofa staring off into space. Tanya wondered what was playing on his mind, but before she had the chance to question him, someone hammered their fist against the door. Alex came out of his stupor at once and stood up.

She peeked through the tiny peephole and groaned. There were at least ten of her classmates waiting out there. After putting on a false smile, she reluctantly twisted the doorknob and let them flood into her house. They piled their presents on the dining room table and wished her a happy birthday individually. She was surprised not to see Jack or Kiara among the crowd.

"Kiara told me to tell you she would be a little late," Annie William said casually as if answering her unspoken question. She was more of Kiara's friend than Tanya's. In fact, most of those who had gathered were little more than acquaintances, despite being in the same room for countless hours on school days.

"Ah, okay," Tanya said quietly. Someone turned on the old, black music player that was on the table beside the sofa and started music. Tanya sighed. This was not at all how she had envisioned her evening.

Jack showed up about ten minutes later, bustling in through the door without knocking, and passed on the gift towards her with a grin. The present was flat and was untidily wrapped. "Open it," he said to Tanya.

"Now?" she asked. "Shouldn't we wait until I open the other presents too?"

"No. No one's going to bother," Jack insisted.

"Okay." She pulled at the paper and gasped in shock when she realized what it was. She gaped at the sleek, black laptop that she held in her hands, temporarily speechless. "Oh, Jack! This is too much!" She flung her arms around his muscular form in a tight hug.

He laughed happily. "You have been saying for so long that you wanted one, so I had been secretly saving up from my allowance and also money from the part-time job, at the pizza outlet."

Domino's pizza outlet was in town that Jack had been working part-time for the past five months or so. Tanya could feel the tears building up in her eyes. She fought them, but was not successful nor was she strong enough. Not today, particularly. Tanya hugged him tightly again. "You should not have..." she whispered.

"I wanted to," he said with a grin. "Besides, after what you have been through, I am extra glad I decided to do it. You need excitement, after...well, you know, all that." 

If only Jack knew just how much she had gone through. She finally released him and happily ran to her room to put away her new laptop. As she headed back down the stairs, she saw the front door open and Kiara came in carrying what looked like a cake box. She smiled and approached Tanya.

"Happy birthday, Tanya!" she shouted at seeing Tanya. "You look so much better than when you left school. I was worried sick, really," Kiara said to her.

"I feel a lot better too, and thanks...I will be okay," Tanya lied. The excitement from the computer had been enough to mask the stress on her face, presently. "So what kind of cake did you get?"

Tanya had seen the cheesecake Alex had summoned for her last night, knowing that this one would not compare. "It is just chocolate with vanilla frosting. It is not very exciting, I know...but I didn't know what to get. I figured this was the safest bet with so many people here. And I mean, if you don't like chocolate, you can remove it, Right?"

"That is right!" We both laughed, and for the briefest of moments, everything else melted away temporarily.

"So he didn't come, huh?"

"What? Who?" Tanya asked her.

"That new boy from school. I saw him like, right after you told us about him. He has got a crush on you, I think," she said teasingly.

"He didn't?" Tanya said as she glanced into the living room, expecting to see him sitting down on the sofa again, but instead saw a room full of people dancing to the beat of a song playing on the radio. She could barely imagine what it would be like when Jack threw his party. Tanya knew way more than ten people would be showing for that one.

"Let me handle this," Kiara said in disgrace when she saw Tanya's face. She saw Kiara casually enter the living room and shut off the radio. "How about everyone gets ready for Tanya to open her presents while I order us some pizza?"

Everyone settled down after cheering at the idea of pizza. Tanya smiled thankfully at her blonde friend as she passed by to order the food. The crowd of teenagers deserted the living room and filled the small dining area, surrounding Tanya and the table of unopened gifts. Kiara joined them after hanging up the phone.

"You have got to open mine first," she insisted, handing Tanya a small white gift bag.

Tanya knew no matter what anyone got her, it would not compare to the laptop from Jack. She opened the bag to reveal a gift card to Kiara's favorite clothing store. Tanya smiled, despite her disappointment. A gift card to almost anywhere else would have suited her better, but Kiara was always insistent on Tanya changing her style. Chances were that this would only end up lost somewhere, never used, but it was the thought that counted, Tanya believed.

Next was a present from Mike, Jack's younger brother. It was a simple card with ten dollars in it, which was fine with her. Money was almost always her favorite choice of gift, she could get whatever she really wanted that way. Tanya shot him a smile and said "Thank You" before opening the next gift. As the pile dwindled down to the very last one, she had a mass of random things before her that she didn't need or necessarily want, but was nevertheless, thankful for.

"Who has given that one?" Kiara asked curiously, pointing at the last remaining present.

The last gift on the table was neatly wrapped in shining wrapping paper. Tanya eyed it suspiciously, having not seen anyone bring it in. As she picked it up, she felt her heartbeat quicken when she read the tag: 'From Alex.'

"It is from him..." Tanya said quietly.

"Who? That boy? So he is here?" Kiara's voice grew excited as she glanced around the room.

"I-I don't know," she said honestly, wondering where Alex had escaped to.

Tanya tore open the paper, and her jaw dropped. It was an entire collection of Shakespeare's work in a beautiful leather-bound book set. The book was identical to the one her mother had left behind. There was a thin piece of paper, roughly the size of a bookmark, sticking up between the pages. She flipped through the book and pulled out the paper. In beautifully scripted letters, it read "To my little Angel." Tanya felt her cheeks growing warm. She shut the book hastily as Kiara came creeping over to peek over her shoulder.

"Well, what is it?" she asked Tanya, impatiently.  

"It is just a book," Tanya replied.

"That is a lame reason. Who gifts homework to somebody for their birthday?" Kiara then laughed.

She glared at her. "It was a very thoughtful gift, Kiara!" The words came out angrier than she had intended.

Kiara looked taken aback, and Tanya frowned. "I am sorry," Tanya apologized. "I am just stressed...from you know what."

Kiara nodded slowly. "I understand." Tanya wondered if she really did. "But I mean if this boyfriend of yours is trying to impress you, he should have gotten you some jewelry."

Tanya smacked her on the shoulder playfully. "Boyfriend? I hardly know him."

"Oh, really? And what was all that blushing about then? Huh?"

Before Tanya could muster a response, she was saved by a knock on the door. The pizza delivery man arrived and carried in five large pizza boxes. As everyone gathered plates of food, she stood back and waited. There were only two slices of cheese pizza left by the time she got to the boxes. She was not surprised that no one had been considerate enough to let the birthday girl, get her share first. Nor did she really care. She wanted all this to be over with. And she wanted to know where Alex had gone.

Tanya sat alone in the living room on the sofa while everyone else chattered in the dining area, downing bite after bite of pizza.

"Cake time," Kiara shouted and dragged Tanya out of the living room.

Good, Tanya thought. This meant the party was almost over, and she could go to bed. She lit eighteen brightly-colored candles, and the whole room echoed with a chorus of the birthday song. She smiled awkwardly as everyone sang, noting that Mike was only moving his lips to the words and not really singing, then she blew out the candles. Kiara distributed slices of cake to everyone, giving Tanya the first slice this time. At least someone was being considerate. Tanya smiled gratefully before sulking back to her spot on the couch.

Kiara joined Tanya moments later, followed by Jack. "So how do you like the party, Tanya?" she asked as she put a forkful of chocolate cake into Tanya's mouth.       

Tanya shrugged her shoulders as she swallowed. "So far, so good." She then smiled.

"That is good. I hope it isn't too much...I just thought you would feel better with some company," Kiara said.

"I know, I appreciate it, really."

"Admit it you are in a hurry to get all of these people out of here so you can play with your new toy." Jack winked at her.

"If by a new toy, you mean that boy..." Kiara laughed.

"I told you, I don't even know him." Though for a moment Tanya did think, what it would be like to be with a Vampire, then she quickly shook the thoughts away. She had never been all that keen on having a boyfriend, anyway.

"Wait, what? Tanya has a boyfriend?" Jack said, more than a little shocked.

"No, she is just talking about that new boy from music class. I told you guys about him in the gym, remember?" Tanya said.

"Oh, right, him. Come on, Kiara, Tanya would not be into some music nerd." He laughed and Kiara followed suit.

"You guys know me way too well," Tanya lied, though not sure why. It was better to just leave it at that and get this night over with. Besides, the thought of Alex and her together was ridiculous.

They both laughed again then returned to eating their cake. To Tanya's relief, the rest of the guests were already leaving. A few of them wished her a happy birthday again before vanishing out of the front door. Mike stayed behind to give her a quick hug and tell Jack that he was going to walk home. Tanya sighed with relief and leaned back on the sofa.

"Thanks, again, both of you," Tanya said, stifling a yawn.

"No problem," Kiara said proudly. "Do you want me to stay and help you with cleaning up?"

"No, it is fine. I can handle it."

"Let me know how the laptop runs," Jack said.

"I will!" Tanya said cheerfully and embraced him again. "I still cannot believe you spent all of that time and money."

"It is not a big deal, really." He smiled. "Just make sure to put it to good use."

"Oh, I will for sure."

Tanya followed them both to the door, quickly saying good-bye and sharing a warm group hug before they walked off to Jack's car. She wasn't surprised that they were leaving together, considering all three of them were very close. She sighed with relief when she closed the door, then nearly screamed when she felt a hand against her arm.